Airports On Alert About Thermoses

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CHICAGO (CBS) — Just in time for the busy Christmas travel weekend, a new terror alert was raising fears at airports nationwide on Christmas Eve, including O’hare and Midway International Airports.

CBS 2’s Susanna Song reports that thermoses and other insulated drink containers are at the center of the alert because officials fear they could be used to smuggle explosives.

If you plan to travel this weekend, make sure you give yourself more time to get through security lines.

Stacy Sanderson of Park Ridge flew out of O’Hare with her husband and two sons.

She had insulated sippy cups for her kids in her carry-on bag.

“I am fine with any extra precautions they ever take for security,” said Sanderson.

According to the Transportation Security Administration, there are no specific threats, but in a statement they sent to CBS 2, they wrote the TSA “is carefully monitoring information related to terrorist tactics and working with our international partners to share information and security best practices. The possible tactics terrorists might use include the concealment of explosives inside insulated beverage containers.”

White House Counterterrorism Advisor John Brennan added “we’re going to do our best to disrupt these plots and their plans before they ever make it to the homeland.”

Still, some passengers disagreed.

“There’s no way to prove whether any of it is effective because if nothing happens, nothing happens, or they’ll pat their backs and say they’re doing something well to fix the problem,” said Chad Swarthout.

Acknowledging his state has “come under the harsh glare of criticism” over a controversial new “religious freedom” law, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence said he wants state lawmakers to pass new legislation that makes clear businesses cannot discriminate against gay and lesbian couples.

Police said the robbers used a prop in at least two holdups in the Fuller Park neighborhood. They set up a road construction barrel in the street, and when a motorist gets out of his or her car to move it aside, the robbers pounce.

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